Franco Zeffirelli
Born: 1923-02-12 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Died: 2019-06-15
Known For: Directing
Biography
Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli KBE, Grande Ufficiale OMRI (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), commonly known as Franco Zeffirelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈfraŋko dzeffiˈrɛlli]), was an Italian director and producer of operas, films and television. He was also a senator from 1994 until 2001 for the Italian centre-right Forza Italia party. Some of his operatic designs and productions have become worldwide classics. He was also known for several of the movies he directed, especially the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. His 1967 version of The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton remains the best-known film adaptation of that play as well. His miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977) won both national and international acclaim and is still frequently shown on Christmas and Easter in many countries. A Grande Ufficiale OMRI of the Italian Republic since 1977, Zeffirelli also received an honorary British knighthood in 2004 when he was created a KBE. He was awarded the Premio Colosseo in 2009 by the city of Rome.
Filmography
2024
- Giacomo Puccini: Turandot ... (Stage Director)
2023
- Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields as Self (archive footage)
2022
- Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist as Self
- The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot ... (Director)
- Carmen aus der Arena von Verona ... (Director)
- Georges Bizet: Carmen ... (Director)
- Turandot ... (Director)
- La Traviata ... (Stage Director)
2020
- Arena di Verona: Il Trovatore ... (Director)
2019
- La Traviata - Arena di Verona ... (Director)
- The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot ... (Production Design)
2018
- The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème ... (Director)
2017
- The Opera House as Self (archive footage)
- Zeffirelli's Inferno ... (Director)
2015
- Don Giovanni ... (Director)
2014
- Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Director
- The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème ... (Production Design)
- The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films as Self
- The Mystery of Dante as Self
- Carmen (Arena di Verona) ... (Director)
2011
- Discovering Hamlet as Self
- Turandot - Puccini - Live from Verona ... (Stage Director)
2010
- Carmen ... (Director)
2009
- Puccini: Turandot ... (Production Design)
2008
- Luchino Visconti: Life as in a Novel as Self
- Puccini: La Bohème ... (Director)
2007
- Callas Assoluta as Self (archive footage)
2006
- Legends as Self
- Verdi: Aida ... (Director)
- Sartoria Tirelli - Vestire il cinema as Self
2004
- Madama Butterfly ... (Director)
- La Boheme ... (Director)
- Maria Callas: Living and Dying for Art and Love as Self
2003
- Bizet: Carmen ... (Stage Director)
2002
- Callas Forever ... (Director)
- Luchino Visconti as Self
- La Traviata ... (Director)
2001
- Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul as Self
- Aida ... (Director)
2000
- Don Giovanni ... (Production Design)
1999
- Tea with Mussolini ... (Novel)
1998
- Vivement dimanche as Self
- Sternstunde Kunst as Self
1997
- Carmen ... (Director)
1996
- Jane Eyre ... (Screenplay)
1994
- Sparrow ... (Director)
- A Magic Friend: The Maestro Nino Rota as Self
1993
- Falstaff ... (Director)
1992
- Don Carlo ... (Director)
1991
- The King of Ads ... (Director)
1990
- Hamlet ... (Director)
- Don Giovanni ... (Production Design)
1989
- 12 Directors for 12 Cities ... (Director)
1988
- Young Toscanini ... (Director)
1986
- Otello ... (Director)
1985
- Tosca ... (Set Designer)
1983
1982
- La traviata ... (Director)
- Cavalleria rusticana ... (Director)
- Puccini: La bohème ... (Director)
1981
- Endless Love ... (Director)
1980
- My Name Is Anna Magnani as Self
1978
- Carmen ... (Director)
- Callas: A Documentary as Narrator
- Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci ... (Director)
- Otello - The Met ... (Director)
1977
- Jesus of Nazareth ... (Director)
- Lorenzaccio ... (Stage Director)
1976
- Verdi: Otello ... (Stage Director)
1975
- Apostrophes as Self
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche as Self
1974
- Spécial cinéma as Self
1973
- Pulcinella - Ieri e oggi as Self - Documentary host
1972
- Le Grand Échiquier as Self
- Brother Sun, Sister Moon ... (Director)
- Who's Afraid of Opera? ... (Costume Designer)
1968
- Romeo and Juliet ... (Director)
1967
- The Taming of the Shrew ... (Director)
- Much Ado About Nothing ... (Stage Director)
- Our World as Self
1966
- For Florence ... (Director)
- The New Met: Countdown to Curtain as Self
1964
- Maria Callas Sings Tosca, Act II ... (Lighting Supervisor)
1962
- Maria Callas: At Covent Garden, 1962 and 1964 ... (Music Director)
1961
- Tempo as Self
1958
- Camping ... (Director)
1955
- The Bachelor ... (First Assistant Director)
1954
- Senso ... (Assistant Director)
1953
- Empty Eyes ... (First Assistant Director)
1952
- Bellissima ... (Assistant Director)
1949
- La Terra Trema ... (Assistant Director)
1947
- Angelina as Filippo Garrone